Fluid delivery system with a housing and at least one fluid inlet and one fluid outlet

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a fluid delivery assembly for use with a water discharge fixture, such as a faucet. The fluid delivery assembly includes a tube assembly, a cartridge housing and a retaining assembly. The fluid delivery assembly provides for water flow from hot and cold water inlets to the faucet. The fluid delivery assembly may be assembled by hand without the need for tools, allowing for easy replacement of the fluid delivery assembly without the need to disassemble the faucet assembly or to replace the entire faucet assembly.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application for patent claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119to Provisional Application No. 61/589,096 entitled “FLUID DELIVERYASSEMBLY” filed Jan. 20, 2012 (“the Provisional application”). TheProvisional application is assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication, and is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a fluid delivery assembly that is installed ina water discharging fixture, such as a faucet. The fluid deliveryassembly includes a tube assembly defining a fluid flow path, a housingconfigured to receive a fluid flow cartridge, and a retaining assemblythat enables the fluid delivery assembly to be easily removed orreplaced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fluid delivery assemblies are known, and can be found in bothresidential and commercial settings. In either setting, the fluiddelivery assembly provides fluid flow from hot and cold water sources.The fluid is dispensed through a discharge fixture, such as a kitchen orlavatory faucet. While such fluid delivery assemblies provide somebenefits, they nevertheless have certain limitations. For example, thewater delivery lines attached between the water source lines and thefaucet typically require tools for installation of the faucet assembly.Also, conventional fluid delivery assemblies typically have inlet linesmolded together or pre-formed with a cartridge housing, such thatreplacing the inlet lines requires replacing the entire faucet assembly.Examples of fluid delivery assemblies having these and other limitationsare found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,260 to Hwang and U.S. Pat. No.6,123,106 to Benstead.

The present invention is intended to solve the limitations ofconventional fluid delivery assemblies discussed above and otherproblems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by priorfluid delivery assemblies. Some of the features and advantages of thepresent invention are described in the following detailed descriptionand the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a fluid delivery assembly thatincludes a number of components that interact to define a replaceablefluid flow path from a fluid source (such as a hot and cold watersource) to a fluid discharge assembly (such as a faucet). Theseinteracting components may include a tube assembly (e.g., a plastic tubeassembly), a housing (e.g., a cartridge housing), and a retainingassembly (e.g., a threaded mounting shank and a cooperatively threadedmounting nut). These components enable the fluid delivery assembly to beeasily attached to or detached from a faucet assembly by hand, that is,without the use of tools. These components may be separate and distinctsuch that an individual component may be removed and/or replaced.

An important feature of the invention is that its fluid deliveryassembly is mounted completely below its related countertop or deck. Itfollows that the installation or removal of the fluid delivery assemblyoccurs completely below the countertop or deck. This permits suchinstallation or removal of the fluid delivery assembly without removingor replacing portions of the faucet assembly above the deck.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fluid delivery assemblyincludes a tube assembly having a plurality of tubes, a housingconfigured to receive a fluid flow cartridge assembly, and a retainingassembly. The tube assembly may be formed of any suitable material,including but not limited to PERT. The tube assembly may include twotubes, the first tube providing water from a water source line to thecartridge housing and the second tube providing a water pathway from thecartridge housing to a water discharge assembly, such as a faucet.Alternatively, the first tube may provide hot water from the hot watersource line to the cartridge housing, and the second tube may providecold water from the cold water source line to the cartridge housing.

An end portion of the first tube may be sized and/or shaped differentlythan an end portion of the second tube. Correspondingly, the housing mayhave two mating cavities that are sized and shaped to receive thecomplementarily sized and shaped end portions of the respective firstand second tubes. As a consequence of this construction, the tubeassembly may only be inserted into the housing in one particularorientation.

The retaining assembly includes a securing member that has a threadedportion. The securing member is movable up and down a portion of thelength of the tube assembly, and is also rotationally movable around thecircumference of the tube assembly. The retaining assembly also includesa mounting member that has a threaded portion. As the securing member isrotated by hand, the threaded portions of the securing member and themounting member cooperatively engage with each other to secure the tubeassembly to the housing. The securing member and the mounting memberinclude sufficient threading to ensure a precise and well-sealedconnection between the tube assembly and the end body. Preferably, thesecuring member is externally threaded and the end body is internallythreaded. Alternatively, the securing member may be internally threadedand the end body may be externally threaded. The housing, the tubeassembly and the retaining assembly are separate components that are notintegrally formed together, such as by over-molding or adhesivelybonding. Therefore, any component may be removed and/or replaced whilekeeping the other components as part of the faucet assembly.

Other features and advantages of an aspect of the invention will beapparent from the following specification, taken in conjunction with thefollowing drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, connected to a faucet, toform an assembly;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1, withtwo fluid delivery assemblies shown positioned for assembly with thefaucet;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a fluid delivery assembly;

FIG. 5 is another exploded perspective view of a portion of the assemblyof FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembled components of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional front view of a portion of the assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a partially cut-away perspective view of an embodiment of adelivery spout;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the delivery spout of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a quickconnect assembly;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the assembled components of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is another exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1,with two fluid delivery assemblies shown connected to faucet handles;

FIG. 13 is another exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1,with one of the fluid delivery assemblies shown completely unconnected;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional front view of the assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of the assembled components ofFIGS. 9 and 11; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of two tube assemblies.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention may take many different forms. The current descriptionand drawings teach only a few of the many different forms or embodimentsof the invention. It should be understood that the present disclosure isto be considered as disclosing only a few, non-limiting examples of theprinciples of the invention. This disclosure is not intended to limitthe broadest aspects of the invention to the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a faucet system 100 for delivery of water to a user.The faucet system 100 includes a faucet assembly 200, a quick connectassembly 600, fluid delivery assemblies 300 and fluid inlet valves 400.The faucet assembly 200 includes a delivery spout 210 and two handles220 that are mounted as an assembly on top of a countertop 150 (shown inbroken line form). The fluid delivery assemblies 300 are connectedbetween the faucet assembly 200 and the fluid inlet valves 400. Oneinlet valve 400 may provide hot water from a hot water source (e.g.,water heater) and the other inlet valve 400 may provide cold water froma cold water source (e.g., well or city water). Alternatively, faucetsystem 100 may be any other suitable fluid delivery system (e.g., ashower system).

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the faucet assembly 200 and thefluid delivery assembly 300. As explained in greater detail below, eachfluid delivery assembly 300 includes a tube assembly 310 defining a flowpath for hot or cold water, a housing 320 and a retaining assembly 330.Alternatively, the fluid delivery assembly 300 may include only the tubeassembly 310 and the retaining assembly 330.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the tube assembly 310 includes a first tube312 that provides a fluid pathway from a fluid source inlet line, suchas a hot or cold water inlet line. A portion of a second tube 314 of thetube assembly 310 runs alongside and is substantially parallel to firsttube 312. As may be seen in FIG. 2, this second tube 314 provides afluid pathway from the housing 320 to a fluid delivery spout 210, suchas a water faucet.

In this embodiment, as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, parts of first tube312 and second tube 314 are molded together at a molded junction portion319. Alternatively, the first and second tubes 312, 314 may be attachedto each other by any standard attachment device, such as by a clamp, aband or an adhesive.

FIG. 4 shows that the first tube 312 has a first tube end portion 313,and that second tube 314 has a second tube end portion 315. First tubeend portion 313 may be sized and/or shaped differently than second tubeend portion 315. As but one example, both tube end portions 313, 315 maybe cylindrical, but the first tube end portion 313 may have a largerdiameter than the second tube end portion 315.

The present fluid delivery assembly may include the housing 320 depictedin FIG. 4. The housing 320 is configured to accommodate the tube endportions of the first tube 312 and second tube 314. For example, asnoted above, the first tube end portion 313 has a larger diameter thanthe second tube end portion 315. Accordingly, the housing 320 of FIG. 4includes a relatively large first fluid channel 322, sized and shaped toproperly accommodate the larger first tube end portion 313. Housing 320further includes a relatively smaller second fluid channel 324, sizedand shaped to properly accommodate the smaller second tube end portion315

The first and second fluid channels 322 and 324 are intended anddesigned in a manner that will ensure secure a snug or tight fit. As aresult, the design of the first and second fluid channels 322 and 324provides retention of the first 313 and second 315 tube end portionswithin those fluid channels. Such secure retention prevents unintendedseparation of the first end portion 313 from the first fluid channel322, and of the second end portion 315 from the second fluid channel324.

The connection between the first and second fluid channels 322 and 324and the end portions 313 and 315 is also intended to be water-tight.Such a water-tight connection arises from the provision of at least onesealing member 160 mounted on each tube end portion 313, 315. Oneexample of a preferred sealing member 160 is a conventional, elasticO-ring.

The different sizes (in this embodiment, diameters) of the tube endportions 313, 315 and their respective fluid channels 322, 324 ensuresthat the tube assembly 310 can only be inserted into the housing 320 inthe proper orientation. Specifically, the diameter of the first tube endportion 313 is too large to fit into the second fluid channel 324.

In addition, the diameter of the second tube end portion 315 isrelatively small. Thus, if the user attempted to insert the smallersecond tube end portion 315 into the larger first fluid channels 322,the user would immediately notice that the second tube end portion 315fits extremely loosely within that fluid channel 322. In this way, theuser would immediately realize that he or she is attempting to positionthe second tube end portion 315 in the wrong fluid channel.

Instead of varying the tube end diameters, as discussed above, the tubeend portions could be shaped differently. For example, one tube endportion could be round, and the other tube end portion could be square.Any combination of sizes and shapes for the tube end portions is alsoconsidered to be within the scope of this invention.

In fact, the tube end portions may also be identically sized and shaped.However, identically sized and shaped tube end portions would not enablethe user to immediately know, upon attempted installation of such tubeend portions into the fluid channels of a housing 320, whether thosetube end portions were in the correct fluid channel.

Fluid channels 322, 324 provide individual fluid pathways from aconventional fluid flow cartridge 500 (FIG. 3) to first and second tubes312, 314 respectively. Housing 320 has a threaded securing portion 321that may be secured to mounting member 332 by a securing nut 222 (seeFIG. 2). Housing 320 may be formed from any desired material, such asplastic. Housing 320 may be cylindrically shaped, so as to receive astandard fluid flow cartridge 500.

As show in FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing 320 is slidably inserted into themounting member 332. A fluid orientation component 325 is slidablyinserted into the housing 320. The fluid orientation component 325connects to and seals the inlet of a fluid flow cartridge 500. The fluidorientation component 325 also connects to and seals the first fluidchannel 322, which is the fluid inlet portion of the housing 320. Ahandle escutcheon 327 is slidably mounted onto the housing 320. Thehandle escutcheon 327 provides a base for the handle 220 and is adecorative cover above the countertop 150 (see FIG. 1).

Referring again to FIG. 4, the retaining assembly 330 includes amounting member 332 and a securing member 338. While the mounting member332 and the securing member 338 may be made of any desired material, apreferred material is either brass or copper.

The mounting member 332 is configured to be fixed in place, such as bybeing secured directly to a countertop or to a faucet assembly (seeFIGS. 1 and 7). The mounting member 332 shown in FIG. 4 is a hollowcylindrical mounting shank 334 with external threading 336. A collar 337may be used to secure the mounting member 332 against the bottom of acountertop 150 (see FIGS. 1 and 7).

The securing member 338 may be any suitable structure that cooperativelyengages with the mounting member 332. Together, the securing member 338and mounting member 332 act to secure the tube assembly 310 to thefaucet assembly 200 such that the tube assembly 310 is connected to thehousing 320.

For example, the securing member 338 may be a threaded mounting nut asshown in FIG. 4.

The mounting member 332 also has an internally threaded portion 333 (seeFIG. 7). Securing member 338 has an externally threaded portion 339.Thus, the internally threaded portion 333 is attached to the externallythreaded portion 339, so that the securing member 338 is connected tothe mounting member 332. As indicated above, the connection of thesecuring member 338 to the mounting member 332 locks the tube assembly310 into the faucet assembly 200.

Specifically, referring again to FIG. 4, the mounting member 332 isconfigured to receive at least a portion of the housing 320 and also atleast a portion of the tube assembly 310. However, it should beunderstood that the housing 320 may be seated entirely within themounting member 332. It should also be understood that the molded tubeportion 319 of the tube assembly 310 may also be seated entirely withinthe mounting member 332.

The fluid delivery assembly 300 may be assembled by securing themounting member 332 to the bottom of a countertop. The housing 320 isinserted into the fixed mounting member 332, and the tube assembly 310is slidably moved into the mounting member 332 until the first andsecond tube end portions 313, 315 are fully engaged with first andsecond fluid channels 322, 324.

The securing member 338 is then slidably moved upward along the tubeassembly 310, until the securing member 338 engages the mounting member332. The securing member 338 is then rotated by hand, and not with theuse of tools, to thread the securing member 332 onto the mounting member338. As noted above, this action secures the tube assembly 310 to thefaucet assembly 200. The securing nut 222 may be threaded on to thethreaded securing portion 321 of the housing 320 to secure the housing320 to the mounting member 320 and the tube assembly 310.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the first tube 312 is then connected to afluid source, such as a hot or cold water inlet valve 400. Next, thesecond tube 314 is connected to a quick connect assembly 600, the quickconnect assembly 600 being further connected to a fluid dischargefixture such as a water delivery spout 200. As further shown in FIG. 1,a first fluid delivery assembly 300 provides cold water to waterdelivery spout 200, while a second fluid delivery assembly 300 provideshot water to water delivery spout 200.

FIGS. 8 and 9 depict a spout assembly 250. This spout assembly 250includes a fluid delivery tube 252 that extends through at least aportion of the delivery spout 210. The base of the delivery spout 210includes a first end 212 that is configured to be secured against thetop of the countertop 150. A spout mounting member 254 extends beyondfirst end 212 and is configured to be mounted through a bore in thecountertop 150 (see FIG. 14). As may further be seen in FIG. 14, thisspout mounting member 254 may be secured to the bottom of the countertop150 by a spout securing nut 256.

As shown in FIG. 8, fluid delivery tube 252 has a first connecting end253. First connecting end 253 is configured to connect to quick connectassembly 600 as shown in FIG. 14. The connection between firstconnecting end 253 and the quick connect assembly 600 is also intendedto be water-tight. Such a water-tight connection arises from theprovision of at least one sealing member 160 mounted on the firstconnecting end 253.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 7, retaining assembly 330 and itscomponent tube assembly 310 are oriented along the same longitudinalaxis. When the various components of the retaining assembly 330 aresecured to each other, the securement arises from movement of thesecomponents along this same longitudinal axis.

For example, a standard faucet is mounted to an upper surface of acountertop 150, with a vertical bore through the countertop toaccommodate the water lines from below the countertop 150. The fluiddelivery assembly 300 may then be moved through this vertical bore, andthen secured to the bottom of the countertop 150.

The tube assembly 310 is joined to the housing 320 from beneath thecountertop 150. Then, securing member 338 is moved upwardly to the tubeassembly 310, and is threaded onto the mounting member 332 to secure thetube assembly 310 to the housing 320.

In this way, all assembly of the fluid delivery assembly 300 occursbeneath the countertop. The more difficult areas to access require onlyhand tightening of the retaining assembly 330. Meanwhile, moreaccessible areas may be connected using simple tools. For example, acrescent wrench may be used to tighten a pressure fitted nut 390 to awater inlet.

Alternatively, connection of the tube assembly 300 to a fluid sourceinlet line or a fluid discharge fixture may be facilitated by a quickconnector, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,506, which is herebyincorporated by reference. For example, FIGS. 9 and 10 show quickconnector assembly 600 in the form of a Y-connector with first andsecond inlet connectors 610 for connecting two fluid inlet lines and anoutlet connector 620 for connecting to one fluid outlet. As further seenin FIG. 1, the second tubes 314 of the tube assemblies 310 that providehot and cold water are connected to the first and second inletconnectors 610 and the first connecting end 253 of the spout assembly250 is connected to the outlet connector 620. Thus, complete fluid flowpaths are provided from the hot and cold water inlet valves 400 to thedelivery spout 210.

FIG. 12 shows two fluid delivery assemblies 300, each connected to ahandle 220 of the faucet assembly 200. The second ends of first andsecond tubes 312, 314 are shown not yet connected to water inlets or thespout assembly 250. As further shown in FIG. 13, tube assembly 310 is aseparate component that may be removed and/or replaced withoutuninstalling any other components of the faucet assembly 200.

FIG. 14 shows a front cross-sectional view of the faucet system 100. Theconnections of the fluid delivery assemblies 300 to the handles 220 andthe quick connect assembly 600 are made under the countertop 150 by handwithout requiring the use of tools. As further shown in FIG. 15, thequick connect assembly 600 is also connected to the spout assembly 250under the countertop 150 by hand without requiring the use of tools.Thus, the tube assemblies 310 shown in FIG. 16 and the quick connectassembly 600 may be easily disconnected from the faucet assembly 200.Further, any of the two tube assemblies 310 or the quick connectassembly 600 may be individually replaced without replacing any of theother components.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to as falling within the scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A fluid delivery assembly for use with afluid discharge fixture, the fluid delivery assembly comprising: ahousing comprising at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluidoutlet; at least one tube assembly defining at least one fluid flowpath, wherein a first portion of the tube assembly is configured toconnect to a fluid source line, and wherein a second portion of the tubeassembly is configured to connect to the housing; a retaining assemblyto secure the tube assembly and the housing, wherein the retainingassembly is configured to be engaged or disengaged by hand without theuse of tools, and wherein the housing, the tube assembly and theretaining assembly are separate components that are not integrallyformed together; wherein the tube assembly is comprised of PERT plastictubing and the housing is comprised of plastic; and wherein the tubeassembly comprises a first tube defining a fluid pathway from a fluidsource to the housing; and a second tube defining a fluid pathway fromthe housing to the fluid discharge fixture, wherein a portion of thefirst tube and a portion of the second tube are molded together.
 2. Afluid delivery assembly, for use with a fluid discharge fixture, thefluid delivery assembly comprising: a housing comprising at least onefluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet; at least one tube assemblydefining at least one fluid flow path, wherein a first portion of thetube assembly is configured to connect to a fluid source line, andwherein a second portion of the tube assembly is configured to connectto the housing; a retaining assembly to secure the tube assembly and thehousing, wherein the retaining assembly is configured to be engaged ordisengaged by hand without the use of tools, and wherein the housing,the tube assembly and the retaining assembly are separate componentsthat are not integrally formed together; wherein the tube assembly iscomprised of PERT plastic tubing and the housing is comprised ofplastic; wherein the tube assembly comprises a first tube having a firsttube end portion and a second tube having a second tube end portion,wherein either the size or the shape of the first tube end portion isdifferent from either the size or the shape of the second tube endportion; and wherein the housing comprises a first fluid channel sizedand shaped to receive only one of the first tube end portion and thesecond tube end portion, and a second fluid channel sized and shaped toreceive the other of the first tube end portion and the second tube endportion.
 3. The fluid delivery assembly of claim 2, wherein a fluidflows from an angle valve of the fluid source line, through the firsttube into the housing, from the housing into a fluid flow cartridge,from the fluid flow cartridge into the housing, from the housing intothe second tube, and from the second tube to a faucet head.